Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Having attended numerous MLB games in my 30 years, I am surprisingly not very hesitant to rank tonight’s win against the Red Sox as one of the best games that I have ever seen live.

Every batter, every pitch, was wrought with nervous excitement. The butterflies that entered my stomach in the 4th inning when I realized Carmona was working on a no-no (it was broken up after 5 1/3) didn’t leave until Blake squeezed Ortiz’s lazy pop in the 9th.

The game was baseball in its purist form. Tremendous pitching, great defense, excitement on the base paths with a catcher (maligned for his defense) turning in a sparkling performance behind the dish, and the difference in the game being a young OF putting ONE pitch into the HR porch in Left Field.

Carmona was superb.Beckett was amazing.The crucial moments of the game were well-played and well-executed plays that were determined by mere seconds.

If you prefer the slugfests, where balls fly out of the park at astonishing rates and the crooked numbers on the scoreboard are plentiful, no ill will comes your way.

But give me two dominant pitchers, a stadium full of fans sitting on the edges of their seats for every single pitch, and game-deciding plays taking the breath out of 30,000 people until the umpire’s hand is raised, and I call it beautiful baseball.

After seeing the Tribe drop a 1-0 game, then win a 1-0 game (the first time in 65 years that the Indians have split consecutive 1-0 games), I am convinced, now more than ever, that Cleveland and Boston represent two of the top teams in all of baseball.

Built on tremendous starting pitching and a balanced lineup, the teams are on a collision course with destiny to determine the AL. How the Indians and Red Sox close out the last 3 months of the season remains to be seen as a lot of baseball lies ahead of both teams.

But, on this night in late July, I count myself lucky to be able to witness what I did – baseball as an art form, as a game that ties your stomach in knots and leaves you gasping for more.

Posted by
Paul Cousineau

10 comments:

Didn't put anything in there about Kenny, but it would be great to platoon Michaels and Lofton in LF (Blake and Lofton batting 2nd depending upon the SP) and give Frank the Tank the full-time RF gig (he hit a HR off a filthy RH in Beckett).

I'm still hoping that Benoit is part of the deal.

Then again, if the biggest name that is involved in the Lofton deal is Barton, Francisco is still available to get Dotel.

With Michaels, Dellucci (oof), and Blake signed for the next couple of years, OF is a position of strength that should be dealt from to supplement this team.

As I'm about out the door for work, but just wanted to comment that the Sportscenter "Rundown" shows that a 1-0 game between the two best teams in baseball obviously isnt a priority for ESPN, even with the BoSox involved! Here's what the lineup is at this moment, 5 minutes into the show.

Royals - YankeesA-Rod's 499thPirates - MetsGlavine's 299thVick UpdateCourt DateVick's StatusCamp OpensWarrick Dunn (this is where I had to get out the door, at 8:07 - with TO even getting some story for some reason ahead of Fausto's masterpiece... GOD BLESS THE WWL!!!)BALCO ChemistBonds MeetingBraves - GiantsPadres - RockiesCubs - CardinalsMarlins - D-BacksNL Wild CardTerrell Owens

Yikes. The Brewers gave up Inman and some other goodies for Linebrink. Scary to match those three up with names from our system. Deal might help the Crew now (if Linebrink can pitch consistantly in that park) and probably means FCordero is gone after this year, but I like it for San Diego.

The youngsters in the deal would be similar to Chuck Lofgren, David Huff (though Harrington was a 10th round pick, not a 1st), and Reid Santos...for a reliever having his worst season in 4 seasons, not signed past this season.

I think it would be foolish and rash to let Lee leave the organization. But he probably should be out of the rotation. Bullpen or AAA. (I heard, somewhere, maybe this blog, that he has one option left).

To replace him, I hope the Indians look at all their options. Jason Stanford, Aaron Laffey, Jeremy Sowers, and Rafael Betancourt.

That last one was for fun. But remember when Betancourt was the Tribe's long man?